Poinsettia plant named ‘Dueflame’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘Dueflame’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching habit; early flowering habit; inflorescences with bright red-colored flower bracts; and excellent post-production longevity.

Botanical designation: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DUEFLAME’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Dueflame’.

The new Poinsettia is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of a proprietary selection of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. identified as code number T048, not patented. The new Poinsettia was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within a population of plants of the parent selection in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany on Dec. 1, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany since December, 2005, has shown that the unique features of this new Poinsettia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Poinsettia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Dueflame’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Dueflame’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Early flowering habit.     -   4. Inflorescences with bright red-colored flower bracts.     -   5. Excellent post-production longevity.

Plants of the new Poinsettia differ primarily from plants of the parent selection in flower bract coloration as plants of the parent selection have dark red-colored flower bracts.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘Fiscor Electric’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,088. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rheinberg, Germany, plants of the new Poinsettia differed primarily from plants of ‘Fiscor Electric’ in plant shape as plants of the new Poinsettia were more outwardly spreading than plants of ‘Fiscor Electric’. Additionally, plants of the new Poinsettia had shorter lateral branches and smaller leaves than plants of ‘Fiscor Electric’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Poinsettia. The photograph shows the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Poinsettia. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Dueflame’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Rheinberg, Germany during the winter in a glass-covered greenhouse and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial Poinsettia production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 22° C. and light levels were about 4,500 lux. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typical flowering plants. Single plants were grown in 13-cm containers and were pinched one time five weeks after planting the cuttings. Plants were four months from planting when the photograph and the detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification:

Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘Dueflame’.

-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of a proprietary     selection of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. identified as code number     T048, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About nine days at 22° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 13 days at 22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at 22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at 22° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous, fleshy; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant habit and form.—Upright and outwardly spreading plant             habit; inverted triangle. Inflorescences positioned above             the foliar plane. Moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 20 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 35 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Quantity: Freely branching             habit, about seven lateral branches develop after pinching.             Length: About 17 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Internode length:             About 1.2 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: Close to 137A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 11.1 cm. Width: About 7.4 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex:             Apiculate. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Lobed; dentate. Venation             pattern: Pinnate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Developing foliage, upper surface: Close to             141A to 141B. Developing foliage, lower surface: Close to             138A. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: Close to 139A;             venation, close to 146C. Fully expanded foliage, lower             surface: Close to 138A; venation, close to 144A. Petiole:             Length: About 6.7 cm. Diameter: About 2.2 mm. Texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 187C. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence type and habit.—Inflorescences are compound             corymbs of cyathia with colored flower bracts subtending the             cyathia. One inflorescence per lateral branch. Flowers are             not fragrant. Flowers persistent. Inflorescences positioned             above the foliage.         -   Natural flowering season—Autumn/winter; inflorescence             initiation and development is induced under long nyctoperiod             conditions. Early flowering, response time is about eight             weeks.         -   Post-production longevity.—Excellent post-production             longevity; plants of the new Poinsettia maintain good             substance and bract color for about nine weeks under             interior conditions.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 22 cm. Height (depth):             About 3.5 cm.         -   Flower bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 16. Length:             About 11.5 cm. Width: About 6.9 cm. Shape: Ovate; slightly             lobed. Apex: Apiculate. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire;             slightly lobed. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous;             rugose. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing,             transitional and fully developed bracts, upper surface:             Close to 44B to 44C; color becoming closer to 44C with             further development. Developing, transitional and fully             developed bracts, lower surface: Close to 44B to 44C; color             becoming closer to 44C with further development. Venation,             upper and lower surfaces: Similar to flower bract color.             Bract petiole: Length: About 1.7 cm. Diameter: About 2.2 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 45A.         -   Cyathia.—Quantity per corymb: About ten. Diameter of cyathia             cluster: About 2 cm. Length: About 8 mm. Width: About 6 mm.             Shape: Ovoid. Color, immature: Close to 144B. Color, mature:             Close to 144A. Nectaries: Quantity per cyathium: One or two.             Diameter: About 4 mm. Color: Close to 17B to 17C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Strong to moderately strong. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Close to 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per cyathium:             About 20. Anther shape: Oval. Anther length: About 0.5 mm.             Anther color: Close to 26B. Amount of pollen: Abundant.             Pollen color: Close to 9A.         -   Pistils.—Quantity per cyathium: One. Pistil length: About             1 cm. Style length: About 2 mm. Style color: Close to 144B.             Stigma shape: Crested. Stigma color: Close to 53A. Ovary             color: Close to 144A.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have not been     shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Poinsettias. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have been     observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 12° C. to about     40° C. 

1. A new and distinct Poinsettia plant named ‘Dueflame’ as illustrated and described. 